AN: Last part! I hope you all like it, I know it ends abruptly, but I have a feeling my imagined ending and your imagined ending are two entirely different things, so just imagine what ever you like! But if you really want to know what happens after, just send me a PM, and I'll tell you all about it. Also, if you don't understand the dedications, or want to know more (like what Olivia's would say) feel free to ask! Enjoy! Please REVIEW!

Aberrant

Adj. departing from accepted standard.

Part three: The Meeting

Damon finds her on accident.

It's been nine years since Elena Gilbert disappeared and he thinks about her everyday. He keeps her note in his favorite leather jacket, but he never reads it.

He's browsing a quaint bookstore in New York City when he comes across a book written by Lena K. Hale. He knows the name only because everyone and their mother reads her books and he opens it out curiosity. He drops it like it's covered in vervaine. He picks it up slowly, with caution, as if the words will disappear. But they're still there. Printed boldly on the dedication page.

To Caroline:

For the girl who learned

how to save herself,

and gave me an ivy crown

with a teasing smirk;

it's your turn to come first.

Damon tells himself it's a coincidence. That somehow this Lena Hale had a friend named Caroline and was given an ivy crown, because it's impossible. But he finds himself reaching for another of her books. He flips to the dedication page. To Tyler. He slams the book shut and grips it as he heaves for air. Tyler is a very common name. He doesn't want to read them but he can't help it.

He asks the store clerk how many books Lena K. Hale has written and he's shocked when the girl tells him fifteen. Fifteen? Fifteen books in five years? How was that possible? He asks her if they have all of them and she simply stares at him like he's crazy before she goes to gather up the other thirteen. He pays in cash and hurries to his car.

He sits and stares at them for an hour before he opens the first one again. It's still dedicated to Caroline. He remembers the last time he saw Caroline. It was Jeremy's high school graduation. He didn't go back to Mystic Falls often, only when Jeremy or Caroline deemed it necessary really. She'd been wearing her favorite dress, white with ivy embroidery. The gold ivy ring hangs from a chain around her neck now. Somehow she'd taken Elena's "death" better than he imagined, because she was rarely seen without a smile. He opens the next book.

To Tyler:

For the boy who was cursed,

but kept his humanity,

and dared me to live;

I dare you.

It never occurred to Damon that Elena and Tyler were friends, even if he knew they were. But it was true that they grew up together, so they must've had some kind of friendship. He just didn't think about it.

He reads every last dedication and is surprised to find that she dedicated one to John.

To John:

For the man who put aside

his beliefs to help a little lost girl,

and never lived to tell;

You were extraordinary too.

He can't decide if he's more shocked by the inclusion of John or Isobel.

To Isobel:

To the woman I never knew

and never belonged to,

but still loved me anyway;

I hope you found it.

He's not surprised by the inclusion of Katherine, but he wonders what Elena means by it.

To Katherine:

For the woman who taught me to be selfish,

and loved more than anyone knew;

she would've loved you.

Damon reads every last one and every name is someone from Elena's family, except one. Charlie. He tries to think where he might've heard that name, but he can't remember. Did the Gilbert's know a Charlie? Wasn't there a picture of a handsome young man in a graduation cap and gown with an arm thrown around each Gilbert sibling in the Gilbert's living room? He'd asked Jeremy who it was once and he'd told him it was Charlie Hale.

To Charlie:

For the man who picked me up

off the side of the road,

and told me it was okay,

to start over again;

you're the best big brother.

Damon wonders how he never thought to look for him before. Charlie Hale. Lena K. Hale. He thinks back to the fond grin Jeremy had bestowed on the picture, and wondered what Charlie was like.

He knows the picture must be important because it's placed right next to the one of their parents' wedding picture, and the one of Jeremy and Elena as children that Damon knows is Jeremy's favorite. That particular picture hadn't always been there, as far as Damon knew, but it had resurfaced when he came back for Caroline's graduation. It sits next to the picture of Jeremy, Alaric, and Rebekah.

To Miranda:

For the woman who gave me

a pen, and told me to write,

what ever came to mind;

rest in peace.

To Grayson:

For the man who taught me

how to drive a car,

and told me I was ready,

when he gave me the keys,

I always believed in you too.

After all these years he still finds it hard to believe that Rebekah kept her promise to Elena, but she did. Jeremy was uncomfortable with her at first, her being Klaus's sister and all, but she grew on him. He eventually started calling her sis and Damon knows that when it's just the two of them Jeremy tells her stories about Elena.

To Jeremy:

For the boy who had no one left,

and still survived,

who was my little brother,

in everyway that mattered;

start living.

His dedication is at the bottom of the pile. His hands shake when he opens the book because he's the only one left. He opens it cautiously. Sure enough, it says his name. He stares at his name for a long time. Gathering his courage to read her words.

To Damon:

For the man who loved too deeply,

and always, always, understood me;

love yourself.

It's the shortest one. His dead heart seems to pound in his chest. She always did know what to say to make him feel human.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

To Bonnie:

For the girl who showed

me magic, made me believe,

and kept us all safe;

worry about you now.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

He reads about her on the Internet. She went to Stanford University, and "grew up" outside of Carmel in Northern California. Her brother Charlie is five years older than her. Their parents died when she was twelve years old at a restaurant shooting. There are pictures of a young Elena holding Charlie's hand at the funeral.

To Alaric:

For the man who fought

dragons with us,

and taught me the value

of those who came before us;

even white knights need to breathe.

The article goes on to claim that she went to boarding school until her senior year when she transferred to a public school in Carmel. There are pictures of her from her senior year. There's a pretty redhead next to her in almost every picture.

The article reveals that the redhead is named Olivia, and she is "Lena's" best friend. Olivia married a woman named Julia. Two and a half years ago the two women wanted to have a child, but they couldn't, so Lena/Elena was their surrogate. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Madeline Lena.

To Stefan:

For the man who saved my life,

and saved so many souls'

with his understanding;

it's time to save your own.

He doesn't want to know anymore about her personal life so he skips to the career section. She had first book published fresh out of college and had basically published three books a year since. She's considered one of the most prolific, intelligent writers of her time. Damon smiles at this.

Her fans and critics alike are fascinated by her dedications, and Damon can understand why. Each dedication is a praise of who the person is, and an encouragement to be more, to have more, to be happy. Some speculate that the dedications are to people who do not exist, but others argue that since Charlie exists, so must the others. She never answers questions about her dedications.

To Jenna:

To the woman who tried

so hard to hold us together,

and loved us so well;

you deserve peace.

The more he learns about her new life, the more he understands that she is happy. He can't bring himself to stop looking though. He wants to see her, one more time. Make sure she's really happy, and then he'll let go.

He scrolls back up to the personal section of the article. She lives in New Orleans.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

To Matt:

For the boy who got left behind

when we grew up too fast,

and fell to pieces, no longer a puzzle,

no longer inseparable;

life is waiting.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

He finds her at a park. She's sitting on a bench soaking up the spring sun, and Damon has never found her more beautiful. Her hair falls in messy waves to her collarbone and she wears a pale blue sundress. Her eyes are closed and her face is upturned to the sun. She looks peaceful.

He walks towards her slowly. Details come into sharper focus. She twirls a single daisy in her hands. A gold necklace with a wishbone charm hangs from her neck. She brushes her hair behind her ear. She's wearing diamond teardrop earrings. She opens her eyes when he's about three yards away. She smiles at him and he almost cries.

"Hello Damon."

He's never heard anything more beautiful in all of his life.

THE END

AN: AND SCENE! Please REVIEW to tell me what you think. I hope you enjoyed it.

Xoxo

-Pixie